We Keep Coding

Alternatives for Monitor (Wait, PluseAll) in Async Tasks in C#

I implemented Task synchronization using Monitor in C#.
However, I have read Monitor should not be used in asynchronous operation.
In the below code, how do I implement Monitor methods Wait and PulseAll with a construct that works with Task (asynchronous operations).
I have read that SemaphoreSlim.WaitAsync and Release methods can help.
But how do they fit in the below sample where multiple tasks need to wait on a lock object, and releasing the lock wakes up all waiting tasks ?
private bool m_condition = false;
private readonly Object m_lock = new Object();
private async Task<bool> SyncInteralWithPoolingAsync(
SyncDatabase db,
List<EntryUpdateInfo> updateList)
{
List<Task> activeTasks = new List<Task>();
int addedTasks = 0;
int removedTasks = 0;
foreach (EntryUpdateInfo entryUpdateInfo in updateList)
{
Monitor.Enter(m_lock);
//If 5 tasks are waiting in ProcessEntryAsync method
if(m_count >= 5)
{
//Do some batch processing to obtian values to set for adapterEntry.AdapterEntryId in ProcessEntryAsync
//.......
//.......
m_condition = true;
Monitor.PulseAll(m_lock); // Wakes all waiters AFTER lock is released
}
Monitor.Exit(m_lock);
removedTasks += activeTasks.RemoveAll(t => t.IsCompleted);
Task processingTask = Task.Run(
async () =>
{
await this.ProcessEntryAsync(
entryUpdateInfo,
db)
.ContinueWith(this.ProcessEntryCompleteAsync)
.ConfigureAwait(false);
});
activeTasks.Add(processingTask);
addedTasks++;
}
}
private async Task<bool> ProcessEntryAsync(SyncDatabase db, EntryUpdateInfo entryUpdateInfo)
{
SyncEntryAdapterData adapterEntry =
updateInfo.Entry.AdapterEntries.FirstOrDefault(e => e.AdapterId == this.Config.Id);
if (adapterEntry == null)
{
adapterEntry = new SyncEntryAdapterData()
{
SyncEntry = updateInfo.Entry,
AdapterId = this.Config.Id
};
updateInfo.Entry.AdapterEntries.Add(adapterEntry);
}
m_condition = false;
Monitor.Enter(m_lock);
while (!m_condition)
{
m_count++;
Monitor.Wait(m_lock);
}
m_count--;
adapterEntry.AdapterEntryId = .... //Set Value obtained form batch processing
Monitor.Exit(m_lock);
}
private void ProcessEntryCompleteAsync(Task<bool> task, object context)
{
EntryProcessingContext ctx = (EntryProcessingContext)context;
try
{
string message;
if (task.IsCanceled)
{
Logger.Warning("Processing was cancelled");
message = "The change was cancelled during processing";
}
else if (task.Exception != null)
{
Exception ex = task.Exception;
Logger.Warning("Processing failed with {0}: {1}", ex.GetType().FullName, ex.Message);
message = "An error occurred while synchronzing the changed.";
}
else
{
message = "The change was successfully synchronized";
if (task.Result)
{
//Processing
//...
//...
}
}
}
catch (Exception e)
{
Logger.Info(
"Caught an exception while completing entry processing. " + e);
}
finally
{
}
}
Thanks

Cancel Token from infinite Parallel.Foreach loop from an event

I have write some code, where i am using Parallel.Foreach for few items to work parallel with infinite loop i.e working fine after every 60 sec.
But here my message can be change by the user at any time and i need to re-process with new message.
For this, i need to cancel the infinite Parallel.Foreach loop to reprocess the updated message.
when i am trying to reprocess the main method its working fine for new message, but its running twice because the previous scheduled tasks is not canceled. I am assuming i need to cancel process from Parrallel.Foreach loop and re-run again for updated message with new schedule.
So can anyone help me to cancel the queued task that is already scheduled for next 60 second.
static void Main(string[] args)
{
List<RealTimeMessage> messages = GetRealTimeMessage();
Parallel.ForEach(messages, (message) =>
{
processMessage(message);
});
Console.ReadLine();
}
private static async void processMessage(RealTimeMessage message)
{
try
{
while (true)
{
await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(60));
await Task.Run(() => ProceesRequest(message));
}
}
catch (Exception)
{
Console.WriteLine("Critical error");
}
}
private static List<RealTimeMessage> GetRealTimeMessage()
{
List<RealTimeMessage> realTimeMessages = new List<RealTimeMessage>();
realTimeMessages.Add(new RealTimeMessage { MessageText = "Message 4", IntervalTime = "1", MessageType = "AIDX", TimeOfDay = "" });
realTimeMessages.Add(new RealTimeMessage { MessageText = "Message 5", IntervalTime = "2", MessageType = "AMSX", TimeOfDay = "" });
return realTimeMessages;
}
private static void ProceesRequest(RealTimeMessage message)
{
// do domething
}

This is a misuse of Parallel.ForEach, use Task.WhenAll instead
Don't start a Task in ProcessMessage (this could be intentional, however it looks like a mistake).
Use a CancellationToken to cancel a task
Don't use async void unless it's for an event
Use standard casing for method names
Don't use while(true) use while (!token.IsCancellationRequested)
When all things are considered, it would look something like this
static async Task Main(string[] args)
{
var ts = new CancellationTokenSource();
var messages = GetRealTimeMessage();
var tasks = messages.Select(x => ProcessMessage(x, ts.Token));
Console.WriteLine("Press any key to cancel tasks")
Console.ReadKey();
ts.Cancel();
await Task.WhenAll(tasks);
Console.WriteLine("All finished");
Console.ReadKey();
}
private static async Task ProcessMessage( RealTimeMessage message, CancellationToken token )
{
try
{
while (!token.IsCancellationRequested)
{
await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(60), token);
ProcessRequest(message);
}
}
catch (OperationCanceledException)
{
Console.WriteLine("Operation Cancelled");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("Critical error: " + ex.Message);
}
}
To cancel your tasks, just call ts.Cancel().

Correct way of starting a forever-running loop with Async

I've an existing code I wrote some time ago, that works but I dislike the fact that the thread I start remains in loop.
This piece of code is a consumer on an IBMMQ code, waiting for messages to be processed.The problem I've is that with the following code
private Task ExecuteQueuePolling(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
{
return Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
{
ConnectToAccessQueue();
Logger.Debug($"Accessed to the queue {queueName}");
Logger.DebugFormat("Repeating timer started, checking frequency: {checkingFrequency}",
checkingFrequency);
while (!cancellationToken.IsCancellationRequested)
{
Logger.Trace( () => "Listening on queues for new messages");
// isChecking = true;
var mqMsg = new MQMessage();
var mqGetMsgOpts = new MQGetMessageOptions
{ WaitInterval = (int)checkingFrequency.TotalMilliseconds };
// 15 second limit for waiting
mqGetMsgOpts.Options |= MQC.MQGMO_WAIT | MQC.MQGMO_FAIL_IF_QUIESCING |
MQC.MQCNO_RECONNECT_Q_MGR | MQC.MQOO_INPUT_AS_Q_DEF;
try
{
mqQueue.Get(mqMsg, mqGetMsgOpts);
if (string.Compare(mqMsg.Format, MQC.MQFMT_STRING, StringComparison.Ordinal) == 0)
{
var text = mqMsg.ReadString(mqMsg.MessageLength);
Logger.Debug($"Message received : [{text}]");
Message message = new Message { Content = text };
foreach (var observer in observers)
observer.OnNext(message);
}
else
{
Logger.Warn("Non-text message");
}
}
catch (MQException ex)
{
if (ex.Message == MQC.MQRC_NO_MSG_AVAILABLE.ToString())
{
Logger.Trace("No messages available");
//nothing to do, emtpy queue
}
else if (ex.Message == MQC.MQRC_CONNECTION_BROKEN.ToString())
{
Logger.ErrorException("MQ Exception, trying to recconect", ex);
throw new ReconnectException();
}
}
Thread.Sleep(100);
}
},cancellationToken);
}
//Calling method
try
{
string queueManagerName = configuration.GetValue<string>("IBMMQ:QUEUE_MANAGER_NAME");
// var queueManager = new MQQueueManager(queueManagerName,dictionary2);
QueueMonitor monitor = new QueueMonitor(configuration, "IMPORTER_RECEIVER_TEST");
//_subscription = monitor.Subscribe(receiver);
await monitor.StartAsync(cts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
}
catch (Exception e)
{
log.Error(e, "Error creating the queue monitor or it's subscription");
}
finally
{
WaitForCancel(cts);
}
The call to await monitor.StartAsync(cts.Token).ConfigureAwait(false); remains pending.
How should I modify my code, so that the call returns and in background the task continue to loop?
Thanks in advance

Here is how you can simplify your code by replacing Thread.Sleep with Task.Delay:
private async Task ExecuteQueuePolling(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
{
while (true)
{
// Process mqQueue here
await Task.Delay(100, cancellationToken);
}
}
Task.Delay has the advantage that accepts a CancellationToken, so in case of cancellation the loop will exit immediately. This could be important if the pooling of the MQ was lazier (for example every 5 seconds).

private static Task _runningTask;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var cts = new CancellationTokenSource();
_runningTask = ExecuteQueuePolling(cts.Token);
WaitForCancel(cts);
}
private static void WaitForCancel(CancellationTokenSource cts)
{
var spinner = new SpinWait();
while (!cts.IsCancellationRequested
&& _runningTask.Status == TaskStatus.Running) spinner.SpinOnce();
}
private static Task ExecuteQueuePolling(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
{
var t = new Task(() =>
{
while (!cancellationToken.IsCancellationRequested)
; // your code
if (cancellationToken.IsCancellationRequested)
throw new OperationCanceledException();
}, cancellationToken, TaskCreationOptions.LongRunning);
t.Start();
return t;
}

how to cancel Task from another Task?

try{
var cts = new CancellationTokenSource();
CancellationToken ct = cts.Token;
Task.Run(()=>
{
//DoSomething(); excute long time
}, ct);
Task.Run(()=>
{
Thread.Sleep(1000);
cts.Cancel();
}, ct).Wait();
}
catch (OperationCanceledException ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("exception" + ex.Message);
}
finally
{
Console.WriteLine("finally");
}
When I call cts.Cancel()
DoSomething still Work.....................
how can i stop first Task?
if DoSomething Has a loop
I can add ct.ThrowIfCancellationRequested() , it's working
but DoSomething not a loop , what can i do ?

Whether or not DoSomething() is a loop, it must explicitly check and respond to the IsCancellationRequested property on the cancellation Token. If this property is true, the function must return as soon as practical, even if it means not completing the full execution. Note that DoSomething() is not a loop.
void DoSomething(System.Threading.CancellationToken tok)
{
Thread.Sleep(900);
if (tok.IsCancellationRequested)
return;
Console.WriteLine("after 1");
Thread.Sleep(1800);
if (tok.IsCancellationRequested)
return;
Console.WriteLine("after 2");
}
void Main()
{
try
{
var cts = new CancellationTokenSource();
CancellationToken ct = cts.Token;
System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Run(() =>
{
DoSomething(ct);
//DoSomething(); excute long time
});
System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Run(() =>
{
Thread.Sleep(1000);
cts.Cancel();
}).Wait();
}
catch (OperationCanceledException ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("exception" + ex.Message);
}
finally
{
Console.WriteLine("finally");
}
}
Note: DoSomething() must reference the cancellation token and explicitly check the IsCancellationRequested property. The role of the cancellation token in the Task.Run() is explained in this answer: https://stackoverflow.com/a/3713113/41410, but it doesn't play a role is cancelling the flow of DoSomething()

C# 5 Async Await .Task.Factory.StartNew cancellation

I have the async code that implements cancellation token. It's working but Im not pretty sure if this is the right way to do it so I just want feedback about it.
Here is the actual code:
/// <summary>
///
/// </summary>
private async void SaveData() {
if (GetActiveServiceRequest() != null)
{
var tokenSource = new System.Threading.CancellationTokenSource();
this.ShowWizardPleaseWait("Saving data...");
var someTask = System.Threading.Tasks.Task<bool>.Factory.StartNew(() =>
{
bool returnVal = false;
// Set sleep of 7 seconds to test the 5 seconds timeout.
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(7000);
if (!tokenSource.IsCancellationRequested)
{
// if not cancelled then save data
App.Data.EmployeeWCF ws = new App.Data.EmployeeWCF ();
returnVal = ws.UpdateData(_employee.Data);
ws.Dispose();
}
return returnVal;
}, tokenSource.Token);
if (await System.Threading.Tasks.Task.WhenAny(someTask, System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Delay(5000)) == someTask)
{
// Completed
this.HideWizardPleaseWait();
if (someTask.Result)
{
this.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK;
}
else
{
this.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Abort;
}
btnOK.Enabled = true;
this.Close();
}
else
{
tokenSource.Cancel();
// Timeout logic
this.HideWizardPleaseWait();
MessageBox.Show("Timeout. Please try again.")
}
}
}
Does async / await / cancellation code is well implemented?
Thanks and appreciate the feedback.

In general, you should use ThrowIfCancellationRequested. That will complete the returned Task in a canceled state, rather than in a "ran to completion successfully" state with a false result.
Other points:
Avoid async void. This should be async Task unless it's an event handler.
Prefer Task.Run over TaskFactory.StartNew.
Use using.
If you're just using CancellationTokenSource as a timeout, then it has special capabilities for that. Creating a separate task via Task.Delay and Task.WhenAny isn't necessary.
Here's what the updated code would look like:
private async Task SaveData()
{
if (GetActiveServiceRequest() != null)
{
var tokenSource = new System.Threading.CancellationTokenSource(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
var token = tokenSource.Token;
this.ShowWizardPleaseWait("Saving data...");
var someTask = System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Run(() =>
{
// Set sleep of 7 seconds to test the 5 seconds timeout.
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(7000);
// if not cancelled then save data
token.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
using (App.Data.EmployeeWCF ws = new App.Data.EmployeeWCF())
{
return ws.UpdateData(_employee.Data);
}
}, token);
try
{
var result = await someTask;
// Completed
this.HideWizardPleaseWait();
if (result)
{
this.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK;
}
else
{
this.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Abort;
}
btnOK.Enabled = true;
this.Close();
}
catch (OperationCanceledException)
{
// Timeout logic
this.HideWizardPleaseWait();
MessageBox.Show("Timeout. Please try again.")
}
}
}